Best Metal Amps Of 2021 Part 2 Options

[Todd Simpson]

Let’s dive in to PART 2 of our BEST METAL AMPS for 2021. We have looked at some great amps so far. Let’s see what else we have.

4.)ORANGE MICRO DARK
On more of a budget angle, we have the Orange Micro Dark. This is a “Hybrid” amp so it’s not pure tube. It’s got a tube in the preamp section but the power section is solid state. It’s got 20 Watts of solid state power and it is just a one channel amp. It’s a bit of a one trick pony to be honest. But it does that one trick quite well. This little amp sounds angry and and it’s surprisingly loud. It’s got on 12AX7 tube so you won’t be worried to much about the cost of replacing lots of tubes. It’s loud enough to gig with and take to band practie. But it’s just a single channel so your not going to be doing cleans. The best part is the price. This can be yours for only $189. Get one while you can before Orange quits making them. They have already killed the Jim Root lunch box amp. Here is Ola giving it a go with a 2x12 cab. He puts an overdrive on it and that really pushes it to the next level.




5.)EVH 5150 50 WATT EL34 Head
The Legendary EVH head in 50 watt form. In 100 Watt form, it’s honestly loud enough to melt your face and damage your hearing. In 50 watt form, it’s still louder than you will probably ever need. It’s an all tube amp with 2X EL34 and 7XECC83S. It’s got 3 channels so you can set it for lead, rhythm and clean. It’s the little brother to the Big Iron EVH 5150III. It’s got an effects loop as you would expect. And a four switch foot controller. This amp is a monster. It’s got gain for days. It can be yours for only $1,300.



6.)MESA/BOOGIE Mark Five 35 Watt
This is the 35 watt version of the also legendary Mark 5 Boogie. It’s a two channel amp and each has 3 modes. Clean, fat and crunch for channel 1. MKIIC+, MKIV, and something called “Xtreme” on Channel 2. Of course, it comes with the 5 band EQ which can be select per channel. You can also switch it down from 35 to 25 or 10 watts. So it’s civilized enough to use at home. This amp has a lot of versatility. You can get from Jazz to 80s metal and beyond. The MKIIC+ is much loved and is still part of the DNA of this amp. It’s a staple of touring and recording for good reason. It can be yours for $1750.




7.)BOSS KATANA 100 MKII
Let’s look at a combo amp. This is the Boss katana. It’s a modelling combo and solid state. It’s a far cry from the tube amps we have been looking at. However, it’s a nice amp. It’s a 100 Watt amp with 5 channels. It’s very flexible. You get a variety of amp types and effects so that this amp can do pretty much everything you need for a given gig, practice, recording session. You can also switch the power down to .05 watts for home use. Also, you can use Boss Tone Studio software to edit patches and set up the 60 effects included with the amp. It’s a solid state combo done right. Best of all it can be yours for $360.



8.)MARSHALL DSL20C
Another combo amp and the last one on our list is a Marshall. This is NOT a solid state amp. This is tube goodness from Marshall. It has 2x EL34 power tubes and 3x ECC83 preamp tubes. You get two channels and a lot of tone. It’s a 20 watt amp that can switch down to 10 watts for home use. The best part is that despite being a tube amp and a Marshall, you can have it for $650.



This article was very helpful in writing this piece.
https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-best-amps-for-metal

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